1. Summary of the Invention
A sports hydration system uses separate bladders or bladder portions containing different fluids, such as an electrolyte sports drink and water, or separate quantities of the same fluid. Each separate bladder or bladder portion feed to separate tube branches. Each branch communicates through a lever or arm operated valve to a single feed tube. In this manner the user can switch between the preferred beverage, feed both beverages, close both, or otherwise use the selection function for endurance and training advantage.
2. Description of Related Art
Sports hydration systems have developed primarily in the area of improved suspension, improved tube routing and improved terminals, outlets or xe2x80x98bitexe2x80x99 valves. While these are useful improvements they fail to address a primary limitation, namely that each arrangement is operably limited to the supply of a single fluid at a time.
A xe2x80x9cYxe2x80x9d connector is used in U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,457 to join separate outlet tubes to a single bladder, the disclosure of this patent being incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. A dual function outlet is used in U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,298, changing outlet flow between a stream and a mist, from a single bladder, the disclosure of this patent being incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. Bite valves or outlet valves are also taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,039,305 and 6,062,435, the disclosure of these patents being incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. Routing of the feed tube is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,344, the disclosure of this patent being incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
The athlete or sportsperson, however, frequently desires alternative fluids during the course of an event or activity. For example, electrolyte sports drinks, such as Gatorade, can provide important performance enhancing elements, yet at other times, pure water is preferred, whether for taste or other functional reasons, or simple preference. Separate bladders can also be used to monitor or ration fluids, such as providing one bladder for a bicycle ride or run in one direction, with the exhaustion of that bladder signifying the need to return to a starting point and the second bladder providing hydration for the return.